Prologue

“Discover a cure for lepers?That's impossible, little girl!! Keep that stupid thought of yours inside that pretty little head of yours” Madame Kia exclaimed pointing my forehead with her index finger.

“I will discover the medicine and see what this ‘pretty little head ’ of mine can do”.I shouted back trying to pry while she still had her finger pointing my forehead keeping me far way from reaching her.

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I clearly remeber what I said to Madame Kia when she doubted my abilities and aims,10 years ago today.

I finally turned 19 today and there is nothing more I could ever wish for in this world.

In the kingdom of Ern, where I was born, as soon as a girl turns 19, she is considered to be independent and no one can question her actions unless she breaks the rules and regulations set by the king. She is free to do whatever she wants and was never to be bound to the household chores. In our kingdom, women are highly respected and whoever fails to do so are sentenced to prison.

But after the death of king Arben ll, this custom of ours, which I really admire and take pride in, slowly began to fade away. King Agnus, his eldest son took to the throne and ruled after his death.

King Agnus brought many changes in the economical, political and foreign trades prospering the kingdom and earning name and fame all across the world. But, changing the customs and setting new ones was what made him bitter in the eyes of his people, especially among women.

Among the many new customs the ones which made me angry and wanna protest were:

1.Women were to be bound to household chores, take care of their family and set their King their first priority ; whatever the King ask of you, you must give willingly, even if it meant giving away your dignity. During the reign of King Arben ll, anyone, regardless of their status, was allowed to place their objections and problems if they have any, when the king ask them of something.

2.No woman should be educated. Educating women is a waste of KIONS (monetary term in Ern) and time, when she has lots of duties at home. No matter how educated she becomes all she will do is take care of her children and cook.

This was highly criticized by the nobles and commoners but were all beheaded as that seems like a threat and disrespect to the King's power. Well, after that no one even dared talking about it and followed it.

The King then changed the law slightly as he wanted to gain honour and love his people, stating that : In order for women to get education, they need to pass the most difficult test, called the 'Impossible Test' in the Kingdom, which is conducted by the vizier, councillors, the court men, the wise men, the best magician in the kingdom and the King himself. The King would accept only the very talented and special ones.

Its nothing different from the harsh former law.

Now that King Agnus is ruling, it means that to be educated, I need to pass the 'Impossible test' and show what women can do.

“Attention!! Attention!!” we heard the head of the soldier shouting in his usual cold, loud and lifeless attention-announcement voice from the outside.

I ran outside with Sapiq, our maid, to hear another depressing news.

One more leper, meaning one more death. He will be thrown into the wilderness to die alone. The vizier or magicians can make a potion to cure them. What is taking them too long? Or are they so weak that they cannot make it?

No one cares about the lepers. If they did, they should have made or found the cure or at least make efforts to discover and go crazy to find the cure. But there is none. Who suffers the most is the leper and their family and no one else cares once they are gone, instead breathe a breath of relief.

The lepers were once our neighbours, once our friends and when this stupid yet selfishly dangerous disease attack and enter their body, they are thrown out into the wilderness to die alone. They still have emotions! They still feel pain, sadness and above all, they feel lonely. To even imagine to die alone when your whole body is in the worst condition and wait to die!

That's why I have made up my mind to find out the cure for them so that they don't have to suffer so bad.

When I was small, I would sneak out into the wilderness and see the lepers out of curiosity as I knew nothing more than that, that they are monsters, as my mother and all the people told me and warned me to keep my distance and never even look at them. I would see them crying from far away hiding behind the trees. I would always tear up.

Whenever there was a leper announced, I would sneak out at night and visit them, talk to them from afar to keep them happy, at least that's what I thought I could do. They would always tell me to run away and get lost as I might become like them.

But the more I know about them, the more I want to help them, protect them. Their cries,their loneliness, even as a child, I could understand.So, I decided to study about medicines by giving the 'Impossible Exam' and discover new medicines to cure them.

Everyone who hears about my only reason for taking the exam laughs at me. Some even says its like ‘trying to pluck stars from the night sky’, ‘trying to fit the moon into a small bottle’,. etc.

But I don't care if I succeed or not, I will spend my whole life for them. They do not deserve this mistreatment.

I applied for the exam and my hard work paid off. I got selected and soon left my family, the people I cherish the most and supported me in any decision I make.

A new chapter of my life begins!

Mercy! You can do this! You are not very far from your dream now!

Work Hard!!

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